A novice-expert comparison in information search

In the age of Google, it is commonly believed that university students, especially those at postgraduate level, should have attained enough information searching skills to support their studies. However, recent researches have found that the information literacy level of quite a few postgraduate students is, in fact, far from satisfactory. One possible way for information search specialists to help students effectively search information is to use a novice-expert comparison to examine the differences between novices and experts in information search. The aim of this study is to uncover some of the major differences in the search query statements and information search strategies between eight doctoral students (novice searchers) and an expert information literacy professional. Preliminary findings show that conspicuous differences do exist in the complexity of the formulation of query statements, choice of keywords, use of operators between the novice and the expert searchers.postprin

Doctoral students' development in information literacy

This paper aims to investigate how doctoral level students developed their information literacy in the beginning years of their doctoral research by focusing on the sources, databases and search engines they found relevant, the difficulties they encountered when engaging in information search with different databases, and the affordances offered by the databases which they found useful. This study adopts a one-year longitudinal approach which involved students‟ interactions with a search expert who showed them how to conduct searches more effectively. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, such as surveys, interviews, think-aloud protocol, and direct observation were used. The goal is to identify students‟ initial searching abilities and their performance after receiving guidance from an expert. Vygotsky’s social learning theory is used as the theoretical lens. Social learning theory argues that interactions with the more capable ones in the environment stimulate developmental processes and foster cognitive growth. For example, teachers and learners can work together on a difficult task with the teachers providing scaffolding to students. As such, students can complete tasks that they could not have completed on their own. The relationship between the teacher and the learner is essential in student learning as acquiring knowledge and skills from an experienced other is an important method for developing competence in a task. Social learning theory could also be applied into the information seeking situation where a master-apprentice relationship could be a possible solution to improve doctoral students‟ information literacy skills, where scaffolding support by information search experts could probably help them to improve their search techniques.postprin

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe

Global variation in anastomosis and end colostomy formation following left-sided colorectal resection

Background End colostomy rates following colorectal resection vary across institutions in high-income settings, being influenced by patient, disease, surgeon and system factors. This study aimed to assess global variation in end colostomy rates after left-sided colorectal resection. Methods This study comprised an analysis of GlobalSurg-1 and -2 international, prospective, observational cohort studies (2014, 2016), including consecutive adult patients undergoing elective or emergency left-sided colorectal resection within discrete 2-week windows. Countries were grouped into high-, middle- and low-income tertiles according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Factors associated with colostomy formation versus primary anastomosis were explored using a multilevel, multivariable logistic regression model. Results In total, 1635 patients from 242 hospitals in 57 countries undergoing left-sided colorectal resection were included: 113 (6·9 per cent) from low-HDI, 254 (15·5 per cent) from middle-HDI and 1268 (77·6 per cent) from high-HDI countries. There was a higher proportion of patients with perforated disease (57·5, 40·9 and 35·4 per cent; P < 0·001) and subsequent use of end colostomy (52·2, 24·8 and 18·9 per cent; P < 0·001) in low- compared with middle- and high-HDI settings. The association with colostomy use in low-HDI settings persisted (odds ratio (OR) 3·20, 95 per cent c.i. 1·35 to 7·57; P = 0·008) after risk adjustment for malignant disease (OR 2·34, 1·65 to 3·32; P < 0·001), emergency surgery (OR 4·08, 2·73 to 6·10; P < 0·001), time to operation at least 48 h (OR 1·99, 1·28 to 3·09; P = 0·002) and disease perforation (OR 4·00, 2·81 to 5·69; P < 0·001). Conclusion Global differences existed in the proportion of patients receiving end stomas after left-sided colorectal resection based on income, which went beyond case mix alone